Arc-lamp.



R. FLEMING.

ARC LAMP.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1906.

Pa tented Nov. 24, 1914.

-LITHO, WASHINGTON. D. t

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTCE.

RICHARD FLEMING, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORYPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ARC-LAMP.

Application filed September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Brennan FLEMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, rave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arc-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to el ctric arc lamps and more particularly to that type wherein one of the electrodes is consuming and the other practically non-consuming, and has for its object to improve the regulation and to increase the eliiciency for such lamps.

Specifically considered, my invention consists in means for feeding the consuming electrode intermittently as it is burned away, and in controlling the position of the non-consuming electrode within predetermined limits so as to regulate the current flowing through the arc; the arrangement being such that no energy is taken from the line by the feeding mechanism between successive feeding operations. The scope of my invention will, however, be defined in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of my invention and of its various objects and advantages reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows diagrammatically an arc lamp arranged in accordance with one modification of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 and 2 are respectively the non-consuming positive and the consuming negative electrodes. As the negative electrode is consumed i is intermittently fed toward the positive electrode. The feeding mechanism may take any clesired form which lends itself to control in the manner to be hereinafter described. Thus, the negative electrode may conveniently be carried upon a sliding rod or tube 3 which is operated by suitable electromagnetically-controlled clutch mechanism This clutch mechanism illustrated comprises a holding clutch 5 and a lifting clutch 6; the holding clutch being normally held in operative engagement by a spring 7, but being disengaged so as to permit the further upward movement of the member 3 when this member has been moved upward by the lifting clutch to the point at which the holding clutch strikes a fixed stop 8. There after, upon the release of the lifting clutch,

Patented Nov. 24, 1914;.

22, 1906. Serial No. 335,694.

the member 3 drops and carries with it the holding clutch until this latter clutch engages with a fixed portion 9 on the lamp frame and brings the parts to rest. The limits between which the holding clutch is free to move determines the length of are. Therefore by adjusting the position of the stop 8 any desired length of arc may be obtained. For this purpose the stop is carried upon a slotted plate 19, and a screw 20 passes through the slot into a standard 21 for adjusting andfixing the adjustments of the stop. The lifting clutch is connected to the armature of an electromagnet 10 in such a manner that when the electromagnet is energized, the clutch is actuated so as to carry the negative electrode into engagement with the positive electrode.

The positive electrode may take any desired form,.but should be so arranged that it may be moved within limits for regulating purposes. For example, the positive electrode may consist of a portion 11 of copper secured to and carried by a wing member 12, also of copper or of some other conducting material; the member 12 being pivotally connected at one end, as at 13, to the usual chimney 14 and extending transversely of the chimney. The free end of the member 12 is connected to the armature 15 of a series magnet 16 by means of a link 17, or in any other suitable manner which permits the magnet to control the position of the positive electrode. The circuit of electromagnet 10, which is preferably connected in shunt to the lamp, is controlled by a switch 18 which is connected to the armature of the series magnet in such a manner as to be held closed while the series magnet remains deenergized and to be opened upon the energization of the series magnet.

In operation, assuming the terminals of the lamp to be connected to the supply mains L and L current flows from line L, through the steadying resistance 19, through the coil of the shunt magnet, through switch 18, and back to line L The shunt magnet is thus energized and operates to lift the electrode 2 into engagement with the electrode 1. Current now flows from line L, through the steadying resistance through the coil of the series magnet, through the member 17, to which one end of the series coil is connected, through member 19 through the electrodes, and back to line L This energizes the series magnet and causes it to attract its armature, thereby opening the switch 18 and deener izing the shunt magnet. Upon the deenergization of the shunt magnet thenegative electrode drops in the manner described until it is brought to rest at the proper distance from the positive electrode by means of the holding clutch. The positive electrode, it will be seen, is lifted with the armature of the series magnet and is maintained in a floating condition as long as current flows through the electrodes, namely until the arc is interrupted and the series magnet deenergized, thereby producing an effective regulation. It will also be seen that no current is consumed in the shunt magnet except during the short time the negative electrode is being fed and therefore there is no unnecessary consumption of energy in the operating mechanism.

While I have illustrated and described in detail only a preferred form of my invention, it will of course be understood that many changes may be made in the forms and organization of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention, as will be evident from the definition thereof in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

l. in .an arc lamp, a non-consuming elec trode, a consuming electrode, means for intermittently forcing one of said electrodes into contact with the other and then withdrawing it therefrom to strike the are, and electroeresponsive means for varying the position of the other ofsaid electrodes'between such arc-establishing operations upon variation in the current flowing through the electrodes.

2. In an arc lamp, a floating non-consuming positive electrode, a consuming negative electrode, means for forcing said negative electrode as it is consumed into contact with the positive electrode and then withdrawing it therefrom to strike the arc, and means governed by the current flowing between said electrodes for moving the positive electrode relative to the negative electrode upon variation in said current.

3. in an arc lamp, a floating non-consuming positive electrode, a consuming negative electrode, means for intermittently forcing said negative electrode, as it is consumed into contact with the positive electrode and then withdrawing it therefrom to reestablish the arc, and means governed by variations in the current flowing between said electrodes for varying the position of the positive electrode between successive arc-establishing operations of the negative electrode.

l- In a arc lamp, t o electrodes, means for intermittently forcing one of said electrodes during the operation of the lamp into contact with the other and then withdrawing it therefrom to establish the arc, and means for varying the position of the second electrode upon variation in the current flowing through said electrodes between successive arc-establishing operations of the first electrode.

5. In an arc lamp, two electrodes, an electro-magnet and means controlled thereby for intermittently forcing one of said electrodes into contact with the other and then withdrawing it from the same to establish the arc, means for varying the position of the Second electrode upon variation in the current flowing through said electrodes between successive arc-establishing operations of the first electrode, and means for deenergizing said electromagnet while current flows through said electrodes.

6. In an electric arc lamp, two electrodes, means comprising a shunt electromagnet for striking and intermittently reestablishing the are between the electrodes, a series magnet for varying the position of one of said electrodes upon variation in thecurrent through said electrodes, and means controlled by said series magnet for deenergizing said shunt electromagnet while current is flowing between the electrodes.

7. In an arc lamp, two electrodes, a shunt magnet for intermittently forcing one of the electrodes into contact with the second and then allowing it to drop to establish the arc, a series magnet for varying the position of the second electrode upon variation in the current through .the electrodes between said arc-establishing operations, and a switch actuated by said series magnet, said switch being arranged to close the circuit of the shunt magnet when the series magnet is deenergized and to open said circuit when .the series magnet is energized.

S. In an arc lamp, a nonconsuming electrode, a consuming electrode, an electromagnet for intermittently forcing one of said electrodes into contact with the other and then allowin it to drop to establish the arc, a series electromagnet for varying the position of the other of said electrodes upon variation in the current through said electrodes between said arc-establishing opera-- tions, and means controlled by the series electromagnet for deenergizing the other electromagnet so long as current is flowing through the series electromagnet.

9. In an arc lamp, a consuming electrode, a nonconsuming electrode pivoted for movements toward and from the consuming electrode, a shunt electromagnet for intermittently producing a relative movement between said electrodes to establish the arc, and a series electromagnet for oscillating said non-consuming electrode toward and from the other electrode upon decrease or increase in the current through said electrodes.

10. In an arc lamp, a consuming electrode, a non-consuming electrode pivoted for movements toward and from the consuming electrode, a shunt electromagnet for intermittently producing a relative movement between said electrodes to establish the arc, a series electromagnet for oscillating said non-consuming electrode toward and from the other electrode upon decrease or increase in the current through said electrodes, and a switch device controlled by the series electromagnet for deenergizing the other electromagnet while current passes through the series electromagnet.

11. In an arc lamp, a consuming electrode, a non-consuming electrode pivoted for movements toward or from the consuming electrode, a shunt electromagnet for intermittently forcing said consuming electrode in contact with the non-consuming electrode, and then allowing it to drop to establish the arc, a series magnet for oscillating said nonconsuming electrode toward or from the consuming electrode upon decrease or increase in the current flowing through the electrodes, and a switch device associated with the series magnet and arranged to deenergize the other electromagnet while current flows through the series electromagnet.

12. In an arc-lamp, the combination of a consuming negative electrode and a non consuming positive electrode, with means for forcing the negative electrode into contact with the positive electrode and thereafter separating it therefrom to establish or reestablish the arc, and means for varying the position of the positive electrode in response to variations of current through the electrodes between said arc-establishing operations.

18. In an arc lamp, a consuming electrode, a non-consuming electrode, means comprising an electro-responsive device for intermittently forcing said consuming electrode into contact with said non-consuming electrode and then withdrawing it therefrom to establish the arc, means responsive to variations of current through said electrodes for varying the position of said non-consuming electrode between such arc-establishing operations, and means responsive to the normal current flowing through said electrodes for rendering said electro-responsive device inoperative.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of September, 1906.

RICHARD FLEMING.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. MoMnNUs, J r., HENRY O. VVEsTENDARP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

